Statewide Math Community of Practice
“Through the Partnership, we’ve had the opportunity to learn from the experts, and take some of the most outstanding math resources I’ve ever seen back to teachers to use in their classrooms. It has filled a void in the state by giving educators an opportunity to get together and stay up to date on laws, trends and research around teaching and learning. I can’t think of another organization that brings together so many cross sections of math educators across the state.”
— KYNDALL BROWN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CALIFORNIA MATHEMATICS PROJECT
Current Community Happenings
The Math Community of Practice (CoP) 2021-22 focus has two main objectives:
Collaborating to support math educators to meet the challenges of teaching and learning in our current, unpredictable moment, and
Mobilizing to support the approval of the 2022 California Mathematics Framework revision.
In late September, we hosted a powerful session on how to leverage the technology expertise gained during the pandemic to explore how blended learning can support student learning. Dr. Stepan Mekhitarian, Director of Innovation, Instruction, Assessment & Accountability for the Glendale Unified School District and author of The Essential Blended Learning PD Planner shared key supports for students and educators as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of this moment in time.
Access video, slides and other resources from the September meeting here.
Resources
Much of our work as a mathematics community of practice is driven by the improvement work we do in regional teams - groups of educators from geographically proximate county offices of education, districts, schools, and other partners working collaboratively to improve teaching and learning at local levels. Click on the images below for links to some of this region-specific work.
The Math Success for All (MFSA) professional learning project launched in 2018 with a mission to increase site-based teams' knowledge of mathematics, students with disabilities, and inclusive teaching practices while providing opportunities to identify and address systemic inequities. Watch the video for an overview of updates and enhancements made to MFSA in 2021.
In the summer of 2020, Math CoP members participated in Rethinking Math in Uncertain Times, a course facilitated by Drs. Rachel Lambert and Kara Imm and Heidi Espindola to address the challenges of remote mathematics instruction, with a focus on children with disabilities. Course members developed problems of practice and addressed them by working in teams through a process that blended Design Thinking and Universal Design for Learning. See the article and Designing for Inclusion webpage. Dr. Lambert plans to build on this work in 2021-22 through a year-long, by- application-only UDL Math Working Group in which educators will explore Universal Design for Learning, focusing on the area of mathematics.
Math Community of Practice Sessions and Materials Overview: 2016-Present
Exploring the interconnectedness of English language learning and the development of mathematical thinking. In 2020-21, the Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction (Pathway) played a central role in the math community's collective professional learning. The Pathway’s approach to mathematics centers Black, Latinx, and Multilingual students in grades 6-8 while addressing barriers to math equity and supporting educators to align instruction to grade-level standards. In April 2021, the community focused on Connecting Critical Intersections, a Pathways stride designed to nurture opportunities for English learners to share their thinking and clarify their understanding of mathematical concepts. We were joined by two of the stride’s authors from the Los Angeles County Office of Education, Ruth Baskett and Malane Morales-Van Heck.
Math CoP 2021 Virtual Sessions & Materials: 2020-21
Math CoP Sessions & Materials:
2016-2020
Math CoP COVID Era: Remote Consultancies and Learning Opportunities.docxMath COP Past Sessions & Materials: 2016-2020.pdf